Can DxOMark lens scores be compared across camera systems?
Asked 5/28/2012
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I’m researching interchangeable-lens camera systems and noticed DxOMark publishes lens ratings. What do those numbers actually represent, and are they valid to compare across different camera systems or mounts? For example, many of the top-ranked lenses appear in Nikon mount. Does that mean Nikon lenses are better, or are the scores influenced by the camera body and sensor used for testing? If sensor resolution affects the result, is there any reliable way to compare lenses across systems?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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Taking your points in order:
- The DxOMark is apparently a weighted average of a number of measurements under one, rather specific set of conditions.
- The scores are about as comparable across systems as within a system. In other words, if you have (say) a Nikon and a Pentax that use the same Sony sensor, comparing lens scores between the two will probably work reasonably well. Sensor resolution will affect the score, however, whether the brand is the same or not.
- The top 10 being in Nikon mount probably says more about cameras than lenses -- it's basically saying the D4 provides excellent results under the relatively low-light conditions they use for the DxOMark score. Half those scores, however, are from third party lenses that are probably similar between mounts.
Bottom line: Despite the name, the top-ranked results probably aren't saying much about lens quality at all. They're mostly saying that the D4 is well suited to the conditions under which they've chosen to test.
Originally by user603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user603
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
DxOMark lens scores are not a pure, mount-independent lens rating. They’re a weighted summary of several measurements taken with a specific camera body, so the score reflects the lens-and-camera combination, not just the lens alone.
That means cross-system comparisons are limited. If two cameras use very similar sensors, comparisons may be somewhat reasonable, but sensor resolution and body choice can change the result. There isn’t a simple conversion factor to translate a score from one system to another.
So if Nikon-mount lenses dominate a top-10 list, that does not automatically mean Nikon makes the best lenses. It may say as much about the test bodies used as the lenses themselves. Also, some high-ranked Nikon-mount entries may be third-party lenses available in other mounts with similar optical performance.
Best use: compare lenses tested on the same or very similar bodies, and treat the DxOMark score as one data point rather than a definitive system-wide ranking.
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